One of the original co-founders of BioWare, Dr. Greg Zeschuck, has revealed that classic RPG Jade Empire had the potential to be a full-fledged franchise. In an interview with the My Perfect Console podcast (via GamesRadar), Zeschuck revealed that Microsofts advice about the games release is what led to Jade Empire being left behind.For context, Jade Empire was released on the original Xbox and PC all the way back in April 2005. This would be just a few months before the launch of the Xbox 360 (November 2005), which would go on to become an incredibly popular console.And Microsofts like, no no, you should release it now, right at the end of the cycle, because its a great time,' Zeschuk said about Jade Empires release. It was like, the worst advice. Like, absolute moronic advice from them. It was the stupidest thing ever.This would indicate that Jade Empire was originally going to be released on Xbox 360 rather than being left behind on the original Xbox thanks to Microsofts advice. Zeschuck spoke about BioWare potentially using the extra time leading up to the Xbox 360s release to improve the visuals of Jade Empire.Give us six months, give us the chance to make it a launch title for the 360 and wed have another franchise, Zeschuk said. And I mean, who knows where like, I just think it would have been a way more successful product at the beginnning of a cycle, versus the end.For some additional context, BioWare had worked quite closely with Microsoft at the time, having developed RPGs like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for the original Xbox. Their partnership would continue on the Xbox 360, which was the first platform to get the original Mass Effect.In the same interview, Zeschuck also spoke about how he, alongside co-founder Ray Muzyka, could have potentially taken over EA from within the company if BioWares in-development MMORPG at the time, Star Wars: The Old Republic, would have been successful. According to Zeschuck, if The Old Republic had been successful enough to have made an incredible amount of money around $2 billion a year the duo had a shot of taking over EA.I lived in Austin for two-and-a-half years making Star Wars the Old Republic [and] I knew that was kind of a one-way trip, said Zeschuk. If it was super successful, super duper successful, Ray and I would have probably launched a bid to try and take over EA from the inside, being the corporate pirates that we are. But it needed to be like $2 billion a year successful. But it didnt work out so I was like, Ah, Im fine.Zeschuck also spoke how working at EA made him realise how much he disliked working within a big coporate machine. Despite the success BioWare saw at the time with Mass Effect and Dragon Age, Zeschuck realised that he was going to leave at some point.Big companies exist to exploit properties, he said. They exist to exploit games. Most of the big North American guys, theyre just good at Hey, lets just squeeze the most money out of this franchise. They dont kind of create a lot of them, and I kind of realized early on that I like making games. I dont like just operating.

Thursday, February 27th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerAdobe launches Photoshop on iPhonehtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"https://www.cgchannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/240227_PhotoshopOniPhoneFAQs.mp4.mp4Adobe has launched Photoshop on iPhone, a new mobile edition of the image-editing software, widely used in the entertainment industry for concept art and retouching renders.The app makes it possible to use key features from the desktop edition of Photoshop inside a UI optimized for phone screens: as well as iPhone, an Android version is coming soon.The base features are free, including generative AI tools, but to use the full feature set, users require a paid subscription: either an existing desktop Photoshop subscription, with which the new app is included, or Adobes new Photoshop Mobile & Web plan,Below, weve put together our FAQs on Photoshop on iPhone.How does Photoshop on iPhone differ from Photoshop on iPad?Adobe already has a version of Photoshop for Apple devices: Photoshop on the iPad.According to its listing in the App Store, version 6.0, released on Tuesday, is now available for iPhones as well as iPads.However, Adobes blog post describes Photoshop on iPhone as a brand-new app, and the online changelog refers to it as Photoshop on mobile 1.0.The old webpage for Photoshop on the iPad now redirects to Photoshop on iPhone, with mention of iPads relegated to the FAQs at the foot of the page.Weve contacted Adobe to check how the iPhone and iPad versions differ, and will update if we hear back.Who is Photoshop on mobile for?According to Adobe, Photoshop on a phone is not intended to replace Photoshop on desktop, particularly for Photoshop users who already harness the full power of the desktop app. Instead, its blog post pitches it at mobile-first creators who may just be getting started and may be new to Photoshop and its power.However, it could also be used by creative pros for quick edits to images while on the move.What features does Photoshop have on iPhone?One of the criticisms made of Photoshop on the iPad on its launch was that it had a limited feature set, although Adobe has introduced more functionality over subsequent updates.How fully featured Photoshop is on iPhone isnt entirely clear: the new Photoshop on mobile user guide is pretty bare-bones, and doesnt include a detailed feature list.According to Adobes blog post, the free base edition includes core Photoshop tools and features, including selection, image adjustments, and unlimited layers and masks.Users of the free edition also have access to two of the new generative AI features from the desktop edition, Generative Fill and Generative Expand.Paid premium features include the Magic Wand, Remove Tool, Clone Stamp, Content-Aware Fill, advanced blend modes, and additional export file formats.The additional formats listed include some pretty fundamental ones PSD, TIF, JPG, PNG so we arent sure what formats the free edition can export in: again, well update if we hear back.How much does Photoshop cost on iPhone?The base app is free, but to use the premium features, you need a paid subscription.That includes any existing subscription that includes the desktop edition of Photoshop, including Photography subscription plans, which cost $239.88/year, or dedicated Photoshop subscriptions, which cost $34.49/month or $263.88/year.If you dont need the desktop edition, Adobe has just launched a new Photoshop Mobile & Web subscription, which includes Photoshop on mobile and Photoshop on the web, and costs $7.99/month or $69.99/year.Does Photoshop on iPhone replace Photoshop Express?Adobe already had a Photoshop app capable of running on iPhone, Photoshop Express, the base version of which was free, with premium features costing $4.99/month or $34.99/year.According to Reddit users, it has now been removed from the App Store in the US, although at the time of posting, it is still available here in the UK, and was actually updated yesterday.Weve contacted Adobe to find out whether it intends Photoshop on mobile to replace Photoshop Express, and will update if we hear back.What are Photoshops system requirements on iPhone?Photoshop on iPhone is compatible with iOS 17.0+.When will Photoshop be available on Android devices?Adobe says that Photoshop on mobile will be available on Android as well as iOS soon. You can register for notifications of the beta release here.Visit Adobes product webpage for Photoshop on iPhoneRead more about Photoshop workflow on iPhones in the new Photoshop on mobile user guideHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsAdobe launches Photoshop on iPhoneImage-editing and retouching app is now available on iPhone as well as iPad, with an Android version coming soon. Read our FAQs here.Thursday, February 27th, 2025Plastic Software releases Plasticity 2025.1Check out the changes to the intuitive NURBS modeler, including a revamped interface, and a new Section Analysis command.Wednesday, February 26th, 2025Technicolor Group begins to shut down operationsFinancial problems of the owner of Mikros Animation and VFX Oscar-winners MPC and The Mill threaten thousands of artists' jobs worldwide.Tuesday, February 25th, 2025Download four free VDB clouds from VFX AssetsGet free volumetric 3D clouds for previs, motion graphics and VFX in CG apps and game engines like Blender, Maya and Unreal Engine.Tuesday, February 25th, 2025Artlist discontinues the FXhome apps: HitFilm and Imerge deadVideo editing, compositing and VFX app and still image editor had over 6 million users prior to buyout and switch to subscription pricing.Monday, February 24th, 2025Free tool: Mesh Cleaner for BlenderVFX artist Rob Dickinson's handy add-on fixes artefacts in 3D scans and models in one click, to prepare them for animation or rendering.Sunday, February 23rd, 2025More NewsTutorial: Introduction to Lighting & Compositing for CinematicsAdobe to raise the price of Substance 3D subscriptionsAdobe releases Substance 3D Sampler 5.0Chaos acquires architectural AI tools developer EvolveLABEpic Games releases Twinmotion 2025.1Assetify 2 converts Blender animations to game-ready formatsIs AI replacing render farms?5 key features in Blender 4.4SuperSplat 2.0 lets you create flythroughs of 3D Gaussian SplatsKeenTools releases KeenTools 2025.1 for Blender and NukeMaxon releases Red Giant 2025.3 and Universe 2025.2Maxon releases Redshift 2025.3Older Posts

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Owlchemy Labs has done it again. The studio behind Job Simulator and Vacation Simulatortwo games that helped introduce players to virtual realityisn't resting easy on its laurels. With its latest omnidimensional diner/garage simulator Dimensional Double Shift, the company is once again shifting strategy with new ways to make VR games.But this time, its experiments aren't just technical or design-led in nature. In 2024 Owlchemy Labs released Dimensional Double Shift as a free-to-play open beta, a first for the company that packaged its previous games as standalone products. It's also the company's first-ever multiplayer game, joining the ranks of popular titles like Gorilla Tag and VR Chat. So while it's a little late to the multiplayer party, Owlchemy Labs "chief executive owl" Andrew Eiche told Game Developer in a chat at DICE 2025 that the game is part of the studio's strategy to keep up with the ever-shifting VR market.It's always worth checking in where great studios think the next opportunities areand in our chat, Eiche was glad to unpack how the studio is keeping up with new trends like social multiplayer while not sacrificing quality along the way.VR players want to hang out with their friendsAs Gorilla Tag has shown us, a growing number of VR users are surprisingly young, and not interested in the same kinds of games that dominated in the early days of the HTC Vive and Oculus Quest (now the Meta Quest). As has been harped on many times in conversations about Roblox and other games popular with the youths, the next generation of players is way more interested in "social experiences" than their predecessors.But that's a clinical (and maybe creepy) way of saying it. Eiche says when Owlchemy's been speaking with players, they hear it put more plainly and simply. "They're not even going 'can you add multiplayer?' It's more like, 'why can't I play with my friends?'"Image via Owlchemy Labs/Google.Image via Owlchemy Labs/Google.The subtle difference is that the first question is a request for a new feature, and the latter is an understanding that "playing with my friends" is a default expectation. So when Owlchemy started work on Dimensional Double Shift, getting players in groups with their friends was the number one goal.It's a goal that became more challenging when picturing the economics of VR. Owlchemy's previous premium games only cost $20, but if four players want to run their multidimensional diner/garage, the game would max out at around $80. "Consumers care about where their dollars go," he said. "So for us it was a product of necessity to be like, 'if we want to make a multiplayer game, we need people to not feel the friction of playing.'"Meanwhile, Owlchemy had observed that the Meta Quest Storecurrently the de facto leader in the VR landscapewas shifting to a more "App Store" style algorithmic system that surfaced more free-to-play games with in-app purchases. Owlchemy has no experience with free-to-play, so committing to a long dev cycle with no firm understanding of monetization was going to be difficult. Hence, the decision to launch in open beta."Our job is to make sure it doesn't shift to the dark part of [monetization]," he said, nodding to how some games rely on player compulsion to drive spending and keep them hooked (a topic many developers are examining lately).The open beta launch has done more for Owlchemy than just help them crack monetization, it's helped them learn where they should be putting focus on their game development. As they suspected, Dimensional Double Shift players do indeed prefer casual sci-fi diner/garage shenanigans over stiff competition (sometimes making their own ad hoc minigames). They also enjoy having game modes (referred to as "shifts") that do offer some competition, but it's not the center of the game.What did surprise them? When they launched, they didn't expect players would want to play with anyone other than people they already knew. But they quickly got feedback that players did in fact want matchmaking options. They wanted to meet people and experience omnidimensional life with new pals.VR multiplayer turns game development on its headDevelopers aren't likely to be surprised that switching from single-player to multiplayer development introduces a whole host of challenges. Eiche said that Owlchemy had to make major changes to its usual formula and "rip out" all of their previous tech solutions and build it all for multiplayer.The biggest breakthrough, he said, was in the world of player proximity. The "secret" to VR multiplayer up to this point is that player "spheres"the area around their avatarsare never supposed to touch. If they do, it can be violently disorienting or (or at worst, grounds for harassment. Eiche said that Owlchemy spent 3 years aggressively tackling that problem. In a game about working shoulder-to-shoulder in a diner/garage, it definitely helps to not have to give players wide spaces to avoid each other's bubbles.Other pain points, he said, include fluid physics and hand-tracking data. Continued improvements to hand-tracking capabilities allow players to be more communicative when in VRbut they also add millions of data points that have to be networked across up to 4 machines.Image via Owlchemy Labs/Google.Image via Owlchemy Labs/Google.Fluid physics, he said, almost didn't make it into the game. The team came to grips early on with the fact they didn't think they could implement the feature, despite it being a popular part of Cosmonious High, Job Simulator, and Vacation Simulator. But he said in Owlchemy's history, "we can't do that" often turns into more of a dare than a barrier."We confidently say we can't do something like 'we can't make sandwiches and pick them up. They have to be made on a sandwich maker,'" he said. "And then a dev gets a wild look in their eye, and they lose their mind, and they're like, 'I'm gonna do it. God damn it. We're gonna make fluids work.'"So features like fluids (and sandwiches) often make it into Owlchemy Games out of "spite," said Eiche.Where is VR headed?2024 was a rough year for the virtual reality marketplace. Though Camouflaj's Batman Arkham Shadow was a standout success of the holiday season, analysis indicates that Meta Quest sales slowed down during what should have been the busiest month for the headset.Meanwhile Meta has signaled it's scrutinizing the billions of dollars its Reality Labs division has burned away, and laid off Reality Labs workers in June of last year. The Meta quest isn't the only headset on the market, but it is the most popular, and slowing sales could be frustrating news for VR developers.Eiche said he's not fazed. Despite being owned by Meta competitor Google (itself in the process of rolling out Android XR, its answer to Meta, Valve, and Sony Interactive Entertainment's VR platforms), Owlchemy's remained a multiplatform studio, focused on wide releases over pushing parent company hardware. He said he's excited for the potential of Android XR, though Owlchemy's PR representative stressed to us that he was speaking solely as the boss of the VR studio, not as an employee of Google.He does think some VR firms have lost the plot a little when it comes to what VR is supposed to be "for." "People don't like technology," he argued, a surprisingly bold claim given how technology has invaded everyday life. "But that's fine. It's just a necessary thing they interact withlike a dishwasheras part of being an adult.""The thing that we have to answer as an industry is 'why is this so valuable that it's worth putting something hot and heavy and a little bit isolating [on your head?'"It's why he's not a fan of the idea of "general computing" (using VR for ordinary desktop tasks like spreadsheets and email) as a primary force for VRat least not yet. "Fully immersive stuff is actually the answer to that," he said, referring to software experiences that are wholly unique to VR. He thinks VR users might be open to those kind of tasksbut they'd be better served as gentle interruptions of the fully-immersed VR experience, not lesser versions of what players do outside their headsets.VR studios have been particularly hard hit by the mass game industry layoffs of 2023-2025, with some devs saying it's an "uncertain year" for the field. Eiche wouldn't be a great chief executive owl if he told us he thought the sky was falling on VR, but it is fair to say the field's facing challengesthe scale of them is just still being sorted out.If Dimensional Double Shift is a useful reference point, there is still room for developers to find stable footing in this experimental fieldeven if you sometimes need a bit of "spite" to find it.

Many of the Pokmon Companys animated projects outside of the mainline anime have been fun explorations of what people and their pokmon get up to besides battling. But director Maho Aokis Dragonite and the Special Delivery also feels like a reminder to thank your mail carriers for all the hard work they do. Produced by CoMix Wave Films the studio behind Suzume, Weathering With You, and Your Name Dragonite and the Special Delivery tells the story of Hana (Riko Fukumoto), a young Paldean postal worker who dreams of becoming an expert deliveryperson.

Sony is cutting the price of its PlayStation VR 2 headset in March. The VR 2 will be discounted to just $399.99, down from the original $549 pricing when it launched in February 2023. The headset will also see a price cut in Europe (449.99), the UK (399.99), Japan (66,980), and other regions.Sony is positioning the price cut as a fantastic time to dive into the exciting world of PS VR2, but it also comes nearly a year after the company reportedly paused PSVR 2 production to clear excess inventory nearly . A Bloomberg report in March suggested Sony was trying to shift unsold inventory of the VR2 headset, and this fresh price cut suggests that the PS5 accessory still isnt selling as well as Sony had hoped.At $549, it was more expensive than the PS5 itself, and a lack of content has certainly held it back. The $399 pricing could certainly help shift units, particularly as you can also use the VR 2 headset on a PC now thanks to Sonys $60 adapter. Sony is also reportedly working on Apple Vision Pro support for its PSVR 2 controllers, which we might hear about at some point this year.

Trainers know the struggle with Pokmon TCG right now. A new set drops, you wait maybe 30 minutes too long to buy it, and suddenly every scalper on eBay is selling it for double MSRP with no remorse. But this week? Things are different. Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart have restocked some of the most in-demand Pokmon TCG sets at retail price. No fighting over the last box at Costco, no sketchy third-party Amazon sellers charging a premium, just pure, untainted Pokmon goodness straight from the source.Best Pokmon Day Deals 2025Squishmallows Original 14-Inch Marill Pokmon PlushPokmon TCG: Collector Chest $29.99 at AmazonPokmon: TCG Scarlet and Violet - 151 Booster Bundle$27.99 at TargetPokmon GO $50 Gift Card (7,000 PokCoins)Pokmon TCG: Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex Box $21.99 at AmazonSanDisk 1TB microSDXC Card Licensed for Nintendo-Switch, Pokmon Snorlax EditionPokemon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box $49.99 at AmazonMega Pokmon Building Toys Set Mini Motion GolbatPokmon - Trading Card Game: Azure Legends Tin $26.99 at Best BuyPokemon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Booster Bundle$28.99 at AmazonMega Pokmon Building Toys Set Emolga and Bulbasaurs Charming Woods Mega Pokmon Building Toys Set - Mini Motion GeodudeSanDisk 256GB microSDXC Card Licensed for Nintendo Switch, Pokmon Edition PikachuOne of the big catches here is Pokmon TCG 151 Booster Bundle, which comes with six booster packs from the Scarlet and Violet 151 set. I'm dying to fill my binder with some of the best cards from 151, like the gorgeous Special Illustration Rare Charizard or Venusaur ex, an absolute tank and playable. It's been one of the hardest sets to find sealed at MSRP, and I don't expect it to stay in stock long.Another solid investment right now is Shrouded Fable. The Elite Trainer Box and Booster bundle are in stock at the time of writing and are both set to climb in value before the year is out. It's overlooked by the community right now, but with it being a mini set much like 151, it's a good idea to snap Shrouded Fable packs and boxes up now whilst it's still available.Pokmon: TCG Scarlet and Violet - 151 Booster BundlePokmon: TCG Scarlet and Violet - 151 Booster Bundle$27.99 at TargetThis set includes six booster packs from the Scarlet and Violet 151 expansion. Chasing the highly sought-after Special Illustration Rare Charizard ex or the beautifully illustrated Venusaur ex? This is one of the best ways to crack packs without breaking the bank. At the time of writing this is in stock, but this has been going in and out at Target for the past couple of weeks. Keep trying, they're updating stock at random times.Pokmon TCG: Collector Chest Pokmon TCG: Collector Chest $29.99 at AmazonThis 2024 edition chest includes six Pokmon TCG booster packs, two foil cards featuring Scream Tail and Iron Valiant, and a couple of Pokmon coins. The extra bonus? It has four sticker sheets and a mini portfolio. Stock is going in and out right now, so keep checking back. The boosters inside are:Two Twilight MasqueradeTwo Temporal ForcesTwo Paldea EvolvedPokmon GO $50 Gift Card (7,000 PokCoins)Pokmon GO $50 Gift Card (7,000 PokCoins)Get 7,000 PokCoins at a discount. This card saves you $7.50 over in-app purchases and lets you stock up on premium items like Incense, Lure Modules, and Pok Balls without paying full price.Pokmon TCG: Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex Box Pokmon TCG: Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex Box $21.99 at AmazonThis collection features a promo Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex, two foil cards of Hoothoot and Noctowl, and four booster packs, including two from Surging Sparks. With Stellar Crown packs also included, this box is a great way to grab exclusive promos while adding to your collection.Pokemon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box Pokemon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box $49.99 at AmazonThis is the best artwork i've seen on a Pokmon TCG ETB, that goes for the 65 sleeves and card dividers too. The big sell here is Nine Shrouded Fable booster packs, but also comes with a lovely Noctowl Promo card, themes dice, status counters and a pack of energy cards for your bulk pile.Pokmon - Trading Card Game: Azure Legends Tin Pokmon - Trading Card Game: Azure Legends Tin $26.99 at Best BuyEach tin includes one foil promo card of either Kyogre ex, Xerneas ex, or Dialga ex, along with five booster packs. The boosters are two Surging Sparks, one Stellar Crown, one Temporal Forces, and one Obsidian Flames, giving you a solid spread of packs to open.Pokemon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Booster BundlePokemon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Booster Bundle$28.99 at AmazonThis bundle includes six Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable expansion booster packs. This is your best option if you want a more affordable way to hunt down chase cards from the set without committing to an ETB.Beyond the TCG, there's a bunch of Pokmon merch and accessories on sale. The Mega Pokmon Building Toys sets featuring Emolga, Bulbasaur, and Geodude are discounted and make for solid display pieces or gifts for younger fans. Into Pokmon GO? A $50 digital gift card for 7,000 PokCoins is available for $42.50, which is a better deal than buying in-app.Mega Pokmon Building Toys Set Emolga and Bulbasaurs Charming WoodsMega Pokmon Building Toys Set Emolga and Bulbasaurs Charming WoodsThis set includes 194 pieces and two poseable Pokmon figures, Emolga and Bulbasaur. With a crank mechanism that adds motion, it's a fun build for Pokmon fans of all ages. Mega Pokmon Building Toys Set - Mini Motion Geodude Mega Pokmon Building Toys Set - Mini Motion GeodudeA 343-piece Geodude model with a built-in punching motion. Standing five inches tall, it's perfect for collectors or anyone who wants a rock-type Pokmon throwing hands on their shelf.Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.

Most of us share and store huge amounts of personal data online, from our names and addresses to photos of our loved ones. In many ways, firms like Apple, Google, and Meta are the gatekeepers of this sensitive information. But what happens when the authorities come knocking? It appears that Silicon Valley often rolls over and complies.Over the last 10 years, Apple, Google, and Meta have handed over data on 3.1 million accounts to the US government, according to a new report by Swiss software company Proton.The number of times officials have requested user data from Big Tech has skyrocketed by an average of 600% over the same timeframe, Proton found. Metas data sharing surged by 675%, marking the largest increase, followed by Apple at 621% and Googleat 530%.Apple, Google, and Meta comply with between 80-90% of US government data requests, according to Proton. This potentially includes handing over user emails, files, messages, and other highly personal information.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!While data requests also saw an uptick from countries including Germany, France, and the UK, the US took the lions share.All thats required for the government to find out just about everything it could ever need is a request message to Big Tech in California, said Raphael Auphan, COO of Proton. And as long as Big Tech refuses to implement widespread end-to-end encryption, these massive, private data reserves will remain open to abuse.Data sharing with US authorities has surged since 2014. Credit: ProtonGovernment desires for dataProton best known for its products ProtonMail, ProtonVPN, and ProtonDrive has long positioned itself as a privacy-first alternative to Big Tech firms. However, the company also complies with its fair share of government requests for user data.According to Protons own transparency report, it received 13 data requests from Swiss authorities back in 2017, soaring to 6,378 by 2024. Of those, it complied with 5,971 of the requests. Thats 93% higher than the Big Tech companies highlighted in the new report.However, unlike Silicon Valleys giants, Proton encrypts emails, files, and VPN traffic in a way that even the company itself cannot read or access. So, even if authorities demand data, theres very little it can provide.In no circumstances can we share emails, files, contact lists, calendar entries or other personal content, a Proton spokesperson told TNW. We cannot share what we do not have.Moreover, Proton operates under strict Swiss privacy laws, which means foreign governments cannot request data from it without first going through Swiss courts, adding an extra layer of security for users.But under specific circumstances, the company can hand over metadata about the account, including IP address, email address, and recipient emails.Proton is dedicated to protecting user privacy but that does not mean its a safe haven for illegal activity, the spokesperson said. Proton is subject to national laws and has legal obligations, to which we are obliged to comply unless we have legal grounds to contest, which does not happen very often in Switzerland. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

Venus Williams is most famous for being one of the best tennis players of all time, but shes also a prolific angelinvestor. In her latest business move, Williams has backed French startup WeWard.WeWard is a free app that offers real-world rewards for walking. It tracks your steps and lets you earn points (called Wards), which can be exchanged for gift cards, donations, or discounts. The goal is to encourage people to be more active while benefiting from their daily movement.Williams has invested an undisclosed sum in the company and will also act as an ambassador. WeWard, meanwhile, has committed to donating $25,000 to her charity, CARE, and will host a month-long Venus Williams Championship where users can unlock up to $40,000 in donations by reaching step milestones.A large part of staying well and active is simply by moving your body whichever way you can, and with WeWard, walking becomes a fun and rewarding experience, said Williams, whose portfolio also includes French social investing app Shares and Pelago, a British startup tackling substance abuse via virtual clinics.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Beyond physical rewards, users can collect virtual trading cards dubbed WeCards placed at specific locations on the map, a bit like Pokmon Go. Users can compete with friends or join virtual leagues, tracking their progress on leaderboards and earning gold, silver, or bronze medals based on activity levels.The idea is to incentivise people to walk further and more often and it seems to be working. Approximately 6.5 million WeCards are collected daily by the roughly 20 million people who use the app, the company said.Walking plansWeWards CEO, Yves Benchimol, founded the startup in 2019 alongside Nicolas Hardy and Tanguy de la Villegeorges. The company is almost completely bootstrapped, save for a few hundred thousand euros in seed funding raised in 2020.While WeWard has not raised much capital itself, it has handed plenty of money out. To date, the company has given $20mn in cash back to users and $1mn to charity partners, it claims.WeWard generates revenue through retail partnerships, advertising, and features like Playtime, where users can earn additional rewards by engaging with third-party mobile games directly through the app.WeWard is just one of a cohort of pro-walking fitness startups. Rivals include Walk15, a Lithuanian company thats trialled its tech with public healthcare services. Walk15s co-founder and CEO, Vlada Musvydait-Vilciauske, told TNW last year that she wants to create a pharmacy for walking. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

There are two new reports of Mac malware in the wild, with the first of them set to be blocked by an update expected this week.Theres no word yet on a fix for the second, but youd have to be a pretty naive Mac user to fall for it Mac malware exploits Parallels vulnerabilityMacworld reports that the first was publicly revealed by security researcher Mickey Jin after he spent seven months trying to get Parallels to fix it. The exploit involves Parallels, the virtual machine that allows the Mac to run Windows, Linux, and older versions of macOS. The vulnerability is on Intel Macs running Parallels and allows an attacker to gain root access by exploiting holes in the Parallels VM creation routine.Admittedly it wasnt a major threat, as an attacker would need physical access to your Mac to apply it, but the company has now said it will plug the hole this week.Parallels has posted aknowledgebase articleabout the flaw, stating that Parallels Desktop 20.2.2 and Parallels Desktop 19.4.2, which will include fixes, will be issued within this week.FrigidStealerA second example, FrigidStealer, can be remotely exploited, and it aims to steal your passwords. However, only a naive Mac user would fall for it, as youd have to first be fooled into clicking on a link and then follow instructions to bypass Gatekeeper.The attack occurs when a user gets an email containing a URL, and when the user opens it, a webpage launches with an alert stating that the browser needs to be updated. When the Update button is clicked, an installer is saved to the Mac, and the user is instructed to open it by Control-clicking on the app icon and selecting Open from the pop-up menu. Opening the file this way bypasses Gatekeeper, macOSs built-in security that checks for malicious apps. This then installs the malware.The usual safety precautions apply. Never click on a link you werent expecting, and for sensitive sites always access using your own bookmarks. Only install software from the Mac App Store or from the websites of developers you trust.Photo byPhilipp KatzenbergeronUnsplashAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel